Ersatz
by Sheol
Summary: Takes place on Planet Vejita w 6 yr old Vejita. Vejita discovers the truth kept hidden from him: His people are merely puppets to Frieza. Vejita sets out to free his people from Frieza at any cost but will he succeed or will his rebellion kill the planet?
1. Ch 1 The Resistance

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z.

A/N: Yeah, the rating is pretty much just for language now. It might increase to M, don't really know. Please read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

A/N: updates will be sporadic due to nursing school in college.

Setting: Planet Vejita. Vejita is a kid, six years old.

Plot: Vejita's father and his people are just puppets for Lord Frieza's amusement. When Vejita learns this shocking truth, his world crumbles around him as his once believed reality becomes a lie. But Vejita isn't going to take this new truth lying down. A child Vejita decides to take matters into his own hands, as he fights to free his people from Vejita and stand up for what is right. But being a child, he is attempting to free his people the only way he knows how... by following an old myth passed down through his family from generation to generation... the myth of the Crystal Heart.

Chapter 1- The Resistance

Vejita looked into the puddle that floated above the muddy ground. He watched his reflection as the water reflected back the truth: he was his father's son.

He had his father's eyes, his father's rising flame of a hair, his father's skin and firm features. The only difference was the color of his hair- black, which he inherited from his mother.

Vejita hmphed, and jumped into the puddle splashing it onto the bottom of his pants, sending his father's reflection rippling into oblivion. He looked down satisfied at his actions.

"Vejita! Stop that! You'll get your clothes all wet, and then you'll catch a cold!" His mother scolded in a matter of fact tone.

Vejita was six, and the prince over all the Saiyans on Planet Vejita, for which he and his father were named. He was dressed in royal robes: silk black pants, a silk blue kimono with a black sash that wore his family's coat of armor across the back of it, and black leather boots.

Vejita looked up to his mother with a pouty face, then ran to her with his chubby arms outstreched and flung them around his mother's waist.

The cold winter air bit at the back of his neck as he squeezed his mother tightly.

His mother, Queen Ivy, smiled sweetly. "Aww, there there, sweetie." She gently drew circles across his scalp. "What's the matter?"

Vejita looked from his mother to the other children, peering at them from the safety of his mother's arms. He watched them run and play with each other across the grass, randomly sparring with each other, kicking the red orb of a ball along the grass.

"Why don't the other children play with me?" Vejita asked his mother, peering up at her with his large, dark eyes.

Queen Ivy's eyes saddened a bit. She couldn't tell the child, it would break his heart. "It's because you are a prince, son. They respect you too much to treat you like just another child."

Vejita beamed a smile up at his mom, causing his mom to smile back.

And inside his heart ached...

"Let me walk you to your practice."

"Yes, mother."

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Vejita swung a kick at his teacher, who blocked it with ease deflecting it, causing Vejita to stumble backwards.

"You are telegraphing your attacks, Prince. You must hide them." lord Lore Lei said in a patient voice, but one that was being tested.

Vejita looked up at his teacher. She was very pretty, he had to admit. Almost as pretty as Aileen. He thought briefly about his present crush and almost blushed.

Lore Lei was sixteen, but a very pronounced martial artist. She was among the best. She stood, silver hair streaming down ending at the small of her back, a silver tail wrapped around her waist, and bright crimson red eyes. Her shirt and pants were red, and her boots black. Her Saiyan armor was jet black, contrasting the silver tail that wrapped around her waist, and the armor fanned from her small waist like a skirt.

"Attack me again." Lore Lei ordered, feeling still a bit weird about ordering the prince. She stood sure of herself, arms crossed in front of her chest, instead of in an attack position.

Vejita readied himself ot attack, but then paused, looking up at the sky. His face went from confident to fretful. "Oh no! It's getting dark! I gotta get home!"

Lore Lei looked a bit surprised, seeing the young prince lose composure so suddenly, then chuckled. _I have to remember he's still just a baby._

"I'll walk you home then." Lore Lei offered.

Vejita's small features scrunched up like he had just drank sour milk. "No! I'm the Prince of Saiyans! I don't need to be walked home by a girl!"

Lore Lei glared at the young child. _Why you little brat..._ "Listen, King Vejita would kill me if the Resistance got a hold of you. I'm walking you home."

Vejita looked at her curiosly. "What's the Resistance?"

"Ah, never mind. Let's go."

His chubby cheeks and tiny eye brows scrunched up once again. "No!" He yelled once defiantly, and then he took off running.

"Hey! Come back here!" She chased him from the small green field inside the high walls of her families land which they were appointed lords over by one of the late kings.

She followed his small form down the mosaic steps towards the high metal gate that separated her land from the village. Vejita's small form slipped through the bars easily. Lore Lei stopped and produced the key, unlocking the large gate, as she slowly pulled the heavy metal open and slid through the opening. She looked quickly all around her. No Vejita.

"Damn it!"

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Vejita ran up a dark alley way and turned the corner, pushing his hot back against the cool stone wall. It had already gotten much darker fast as the red sun set in the dark red sky, sending swirls of yellow to mix with the red. He stared past the high building at the setting sun, then let out a long exhale as he bowed his head, a smirk setting on his face.

_That'll show 'em, I'm not just some weak helpless little kid. I'm the Prince of Saiyans!_

Then a noise caught his ear. Vejita turned quickly to his right. His eyes scanning the dark alley for the source. Nothing.

_Stop being such a scaredy cat. Lore Lei wouldn't be afraid. She'd yell 'show yourself', then kick some butt._

Vejita thought over yelling that, but decided not to. He then turned to walk home only to run into a rather tall, hard person. Vejita looked straight up to see a face staring directly down at him, with crooked teeth to match a crooked smile, and a long scar etched diagonally across his face right over the bridge of his nose. Spiky, brown hair jutted out over his face like the bridge of a base ball cap.

"Hey there kid. That's a nice insignia on your back. The Royal Coat of Arms, right?"

The large, muscular arm reached down and grabbed his chest, his hand engulfing it's circumferance. Vejita began kicking and thrashing his arms. "Let go of me!"

The large man laughed, ignoring the kicks against his for arm. He raised him up high in the air level with his face, looking at the small body that was now fisted in his hand, the man's large fingers almost touching behind Vejita's back.

"Hey, Gora, what are ya gonna do with da kid?" A squeeky voice came from the side.

Vejita looked down from said Gora's hand at the small form near the ground. The Saiyan was scrawny, reaching height only to Gora's waist, and the fact that the Saiyan was stooped down with a hunched back didn't help any. His arms were so small Vejita could swear even he could break them, and his face was gauty in appearance, with sunken cheek bones and sunken eyes deep into their sockets. Their sky blue color gave almost a ghastly appearance from the deep sockets, and black circles lined them. His black hair was ratty and matted to his head hugging his skull like a cap, with frayed ends jutting from the bottom of his skull. His nose was jagged, and stuck out from his face like a cuttlers knife, and his teeth were pointed like sharks sitting above his long, pointy chin.

The small man raised his small, gnawy fingers up and threaded them eagerly playing with his thumbs. Vejita watched them in disgust as the large knuckles mowed over one another.

"Are we gonna break his tiny neck?" The man laughed a high pitched, gritty laugh, and began speaking again, in the squeeky, gritty voice that reminded Vejita of old gears in need of oil. "I want to break the small bones in his legs first, hear em grind en crunch, heh heh."

Vejita heard a deep gruffy laugh from in front of him, and turned to face the rather large head in front of him. He could see it more clearly now. Gora's face was rather box shaped, like a pit bulls, with large muscles replacing where a neck should be. Spiky brown hair jutted out wildly in every direction. And his eyes were almond shaped, the left one red, the right one yellow, and both shaped like a serpent's eyes. And the scar that ran right across his face through the red one.

It was then that he began to feel his heart pick up real speed. The Gora must've felt it to, because his smirk only grew wider.

"Scared huh. Don't worry kid, you won't suffer near as much as us, right Scratch."

Scratch only laughed his high pitched laugh.

Vejita swallowed hard, a clear lump forming in his throat. "Scratch, what kind of name is that?" Vejita spat as he pushed hard against the fist, trying desperately to escape.

"I dunt think you're in any position ta make cracks kid." Scratch spat back, a smirk in his words.

"What are you going to do with me? Why are you doing this?" Vejita said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Gora chuckled deeply. "You can thank your father really. King Vejita shouldn't have given in to Frieza. He's made a mockery out of our people. Letting us become a bunch of puppets for Frieza to send out and kill off as he pleases. Hmph. Conquering planets for that creaton, dying in _his_ name."

"We're the Resistance, kid. We're gonna even the score. A life for a life. Our lives, for your life, heheh." Scratch jutted in with his cackling laugh.

And with that, Vejita watched in horror as Gora's large hand came towards his head, blocking out all else from view. Vejita squeezed his eyes shut as he fisted his tiny hands on the side of Gora's hand fisted around his small form.

Vejita suddenly became acutely aware of all around him. Of his tiny heart beating rapidly out his chest, of his quickened breath in his throat, of the sweat dripping down the side of his face.

And as he prepared himself for the crushing force of the hand around his head he thought back to earlier today.

_Mother, why don't the other kids play with me._

_It's because you're a prince, son. They respect you too much to treat you like just another child._

_Lies. Sweet, venemous lies._

A/N: I'm more than a little nervous with this story. I've never really written one with a child this young before as the main character. This next chapter will be in first person, through Vejita's point of view. I only wrote this one in third person to give it a more light appearance. The rest of the chapters will be exponentially darker.

Please don't forget to review. :)


	2. Ch 2 The Awakening

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own dragon ball z.

A/N: Yeah, I should really be studying instead of updating stories, I have a huge test tomorrow, but I can't concentrate on it right now. I'm distracted by these damn story ideas.

Well, this chapter is a lot a bit better than the last one. At least I think so. Things are finally starting to pick up. The huge story twist isn't in this one, in fact, you guys probably won't see it til the very end cuz it is written through Vejita's point of you. There will be a few hints dropped in the next few chapters... It's really up to you guys to figure it out. But don't worry, If you don't you'll figure it out when Vejita does.

This story is a short one, it'll be around six or seven chapters. Just a short Vejita fic with major chibi Vejita cuteness. :)

So read review and enjoy!

Ch 2- Awakening

I watched as Gora's large hand came down towards my head, blocking all else from view. It was inconceivable, the size of his hand. It had to be larger than my head. I then pictured it in my head, his giant hand holding my small head as if it is an apple, then squishing it in his powerful hands, the pulp and meat splashing everywhere's, my juice dripping down his wrist. I gagged lightly.

The skin of his hand covered my eyes, and I felt his fingers curl around the back of my head gripping me firmly. His skin felt cool against the heat emitting from my body. My heart beat wildly in my chest, as the true reality of the situation finally began to wash over me with an awe of euphoria.

_I am going to die... but that's impossible. I'm young. Young people don't die, right? Only old people die. Old sick people..._

I felt his grip tighten on me. His gruff laugh echoing throughout my skull, vibrating through out me shaking my small frame even harder than the trembles already did.

_This can't be happening. Mommy is going to come wake me up soon, she'll come wake me up for practice. We'll walk through the park first like we did today._

"Hey, don't worry kid, yeah. This not gonna hurt much at all. This just be justice being served. Nutting personal." Scratch's harsh, crackling voice was followed by his high pitched grating laugh. It reminded me of nails on a chalk board and I cringed.

I clenched my eyes shut and squeezed the skin of the large hand that held me in the air, and waited. And a small tear rolled out the side of my eye.

_I don't want to die. I don't want to die!_

Then suddenly I felt myself falling, a weightless feeling flooding my senses, the air rushing up beneath me.

_They say when you die you feel weightless... am I dead?_

I recieved my answer when the hard pavement smacked against my bottom.

"Ow!" I muttered, rubbing my bottom as I leaned forward on my knees and hand.

I opened my eyes carefully, slowly, still frightened by the large man infront of me, only to find him laying on his back, rubbing his forehead which had a large red imprint of a boot. I watched in shock as he slowly began to climb to his feet.

"Hey! Who ya think ya are, gurly! Don't ya know who we are!" Scratch screeched in his high voice, his tiny arms thrashing the air in wild anger.

"Hmph. I know who you are. But you don't know who I am, do you." A smug, confident, femanine voice answered from behind me.

I turned to see Lore Lei standing erect, hands on hips, a smirk plastered across her face. But it was her eyes that got me. That look in her eyes that screamed murder. I heard Gora's voice boom something from behind, but his words flooded right through me invisible. I was beyond transfixed by her eyes. I watched as the dangerous red eyes darkened beyond measure, turning into the color of blood; deep, viscous, and... lustful?

"I'm going to enjoy this... you will be mine." Her voice left her lips heated, as her tongue slowly drew along the innermost part of her mouth.

Then she vanished as soon as she appeared. I blinked my eyes, confused, until a loud crash echoed behind me. I felt the pavement beneath me vibrate. I turned to find Gora knocked through the brick wall of the building, only half of him sticking out. I watched as the muscles in his legs relaxed. He was unconscious.

I stared in awe, as Lore Lei's smaller form seemed to tower over the larger one's. Until strong hands gripped my throat and pulled me backwards against a slim, hard form. A long, razor sharp nail pushed itself against the carotid of my neck, the coldness of the nail like ice.

"One move en da kid gets it." A high, scratchy voice barked.

Momentarily, surprise washed through me, for one I never imagined the smaller man to have such strength. His grip was like iron. I stood there watching Lore Lei's confidence wane. The blood in her eyes was as strong as ever, but her face spelled disaster.

As I watched her watched me, I replayed her incredible speed through my mind. Her speed, her grace, her skill- impecible. She really was one of the best, as father so often bragged... My heart began to wrench and I could feel tears of desperation sting the corners of my eyes. As father so often bragged, while he was criticizing me. I tightened my fists at the indignity. Here I am a prince, being rescued- by a girl!

"Let go of me!" I yelled, and as soon as the words left my lips, I felt my throat tighten back closed. _He could kill me for this._

"Prince! What are you doing?! Shut up!" Lore Lei yelled in a panic. _He's going to mess everything up._

"Yeah, kid. What er ya doin." Scratch cooed mockingly in my ear.

My mind raced. If I only I could distract him, I could escape. But how? My mind thought back to earlier, at how cocky he got when I insulted him. Perhaps that is his weakness.

"I dunt have ta listen ta ya." I shot back at him, mocking his tone and making my voice higher in pitch.

I felt his grip on my neck loosen then contract, and my confidence rised with this contraction. It got to him.

"Are ya mockin ma?" Scratch spoke back in an attempted calm voice, but I could hear the quiver of rage in it.

I swallowed, gave myself a silent pep talk of encouragement, then spoke back in as high a voice as I could. "I duntno, genius, wut do ya think."

Silence. I could feel the vibrations of anger shake his hand as they became clammy, wet, the fast contractions of loosening and gripping. Oh, yes, the smaller one had a temper. Just a little further.

The eagerness, anticipation gripped me, outside my body remained calm but I could feel all the leaves shaking through the inside, as I spoke in a high pitch, squeeking tone. "Da idiot forgot how ta speak."

Scratch's voice rose to a new volume of pitch as he squeeked out in an enraged voice, that resembled the squeeking of new chalk against a board, "Why ya little-"

As his grip loosened in the rage, I quickly dropped down to the ground and grabbed the hem of his uniform pants, and jerked the hem upward knocking his feet out from under him. Scratch fell hard on his back, and I heard the air rush from his lungs. In a swift move I ran beside him and kicked the side of his head as hard as I could, and watched as his body went limp.

I stared at him for a while, only half believing that I just knocked a villain unconscious. I heard Lore Lei's soft steps walk up beside me.

Then a huge smile plastered itself across my face and I began jump up and down enthusiastically pumping my hands in the air. "Oh yeah! I'm awesome! Take that bad guy!"

I turned to face Lore Lei, "Hey did you see that! Did you! I knocked him-" The smile on my face faded as I met Lore Lei's stern look.

"I thought I told you not to run off on your own. You could've been killed."

"But I wasn't."

"Why you little brat- Listen! They were going to kill you! And what do you think would've happened if I hadn't shown up when I did? You'd be road kill!"

My defiant face squinched into a supressed laugh as I covered my mouth and tried desperately to silence the chuckle. "Road kill." I whispered.

"Oh, so you think that's funny, huh." Lore Lei spat annoyed.

"Uh-huh." I nodded innocently.

"Well since you are so amused by this, I'm just going to let it happen next time." Lore Lei snapped her head to the side indifferently, a bit spiffed.

I pouted, jutting my lower lip out. _Lore Lei is angry at me again. I don't like it when she's angry._ I wrapped my arms around her waist and looked up to her adoringly.

"Nuh- uh. You'd never do that." I smiled extra lovingly to her and gave her puppy dog eyes. I grinned evilly inward. _This always works. She can never stay angry when I do this._

Lore Lei looked down to me, then sighed in defeat letting her arms fall to her side.

_Yay! She's not mad anymore!_ I snuggled my head into her abdomen enjoy the warmth as she gently wrapped her arms around me. And I felt the warmth settle into my chest. I didn't have friends like the other kids. I didn't have other's my age to run and play in the park with. All I had were Mother, Father, Nappa, and Lore Lei. I squeezed her waist as tightly as I could. _I love Lore Lei. When I grow up, I will be just as strong as she is... Of course, I'll never admit how strong she is, cause she's a girl._

"Mph m na mph m-"

"My Prince, I can't understand what you are saying." Lore Lei interrupted.

I lifted my head up with a big smirk. "I said, I'm gonna tell father how I beat up that guy and-"

_Oh no you're not! The little brat's trying to get me fired again!_ "Prince! If you tell your father, what do you think he'll do about you walking all alone through the town." She paused watching, my face go thoughtful for a moment. "He'll punish you that's what!"

"Awww." I moaned lightly. _But I wanted to tell him._..

"Now come on let's go home. You're late enough as it is."

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Most of the walk home was in silence. I could tell by the look on Lore Lei's face she was still pretty ticked. I kept glancing to her, then down at her hand, then back up. I really wanted to hold her hand and walk home, but that wouldn't be princely of me. I thought back to the last time father caught me holding her hand. He gave me a long lecture on prince stuff and how I should act royal and junk... and then mother lectured me on girls. I shuddered. I really don't want that lecture again. After that I decided girls were gross. Except Lore Lei and mother.

I smiled and looked back at her. Her composure was every bit as good as father's, though I'd never admit it to her. She carried herself perfectly erect, her head held high in pride, her chest puffed out a bit. Her training as a soldier was obvious, but I've never seen even our royal soldiers look quite as dignified. There was just a certain air she carried, one that demanded respect. Yet, her touch was always gentle, her speach always caring despite the stern in her voice. And her skill, her finness was unmatched at her age.

"What are you smiling about." Lore Lei asked, curious.

I blinked. I hadn't even realized I had been smiling. I glanced down to the ground with a light blush. "Nothing. Hey, Lore Lei, what's the Resistance?"

"I thought I told you not to worry about it."

"Yeah but..." I shifted uncomfortably in my steps. "Those men, they said father had given in to someone named Frieza, and that he was letting us be his puppets, and that is why they wanted to kill me. Because of father. Is that true?"

Lore Lei looked at me with a rather tortured look, a deep pain in her eyes. My mind flashed back to earlier today at the park. Mother had the same look in her eyes.

_It's because you are a prince sweetie. They respect you too much._

"Yes." Lore Lei answered.

"So... then what are they going to do to father... if they were going to kill me? Is it worse?"

Her hands twitched, as her eyes glassed over. And that pain.

_Mother, why don't the other children play with me?_

"... Vejtia." Lore Lei dropped the prince. I could only wonder why. "The people of this planet, they are not very happy with your father. Our people, they have lots of pride. They don't want to work for Freiza... they... don't want to work for anyone who isn't a Saiyan, especially Freiza..."

I remained silent. Then quietly I pointed out, "You didn't answer my question."

Lore Lei stopped walking suddenly, turning her face to the side away from mine. My eyes graced over the back side of her face, the silver hair brushing like silk against her jaw line. She was pretty... Much prettier than Aileen. I blinked, mentally smacking myself for thinking that. Lore Lei wasn't even my age, and that was part of mother's lecture on girls. I briefly wondered if it was possible to have more than one crush at the same time.

"Do you remember... what happens to the rulers when the people are dissatisfied?" Lore Lei's sorrowful voice pulled me back down to reality. "Do you remember learning it in history?"

I began reaching my mind far back to the lessons trying desperately to find the right answer. My small, chubby face scrunched up from the effort. I could only come up with one answer, but that couldn't be it. There is no way anyone would want to do that to my father. Lore Lei waited patiently for my answer.

I sighed, and in defeat muttered the answer I knew to be incorrect. "They over throw it." I felt like such a morron, giving an incorrect answer. Lore Lei must think I'm stupid now.

I met Lore Lei's eyes as she turned to face me. I saw the sad, apologetic look in her eyes, a look of pity holding me. "I'm sorry Vejita." She gave me a weak smile.

I glared at her angrily. "Don't pity me for giving a wrong answer! I'm not stupid, and I don't need your pity!" I huffed.

"That wasn't the wrong answer, Vejita." She said softly back, ignoring my tantrum.

A look of surprise flashed across my face, then I looked from her to the ground. My body went numb. My father, over throwed? But in history when they always overthrew the ruler, they did such horrible things to him, and then they killed him. I pictured my father, beaten and bloody, dragged before a screaming, cheering crowd to... a block to be beheaded?... a gallow to be hung?... or would it be to some platform to receive a deadly energy blast?

The euphoria of the surprise washed over me, feeling me with the sense of a dream. It was all too much, too fast. I felt like I had been asleep, like I was waking to a new reality, and this reality was just a dream as well.

My heart clenched as the pain settled in. "But, why? Why would father do something to make them so angry?"

"He did it in our people's best interest. Frieza is just too powerful. Nobody can kill him, not even your father. It was either die or give in, so father relinquished control. He didn't want our people to die. Now... he's just a puppet king." Lore Lei closed her eyes from the pain. It was so trecherous to say it, but it was true. King Vejita no longer had any real power left. It was all Frieza's. "Now, the only way to get back control would be to kill Frieza. And that would never happen. There are many Saiyans who would rather die with their pride than live under Frieza without any freedom."

I could feel Lore Lei's gaze settle on me as I continued to stare at the ground. Then she muttered the words again. "I'm sorry Vejita."

I stared at the ground listening as Lore Lei spoke. The pitying tone of her voice, it was so unfitting for her. She is always so proud, so determined. To hear anything demeaning in her voice, it is just so... dishonoring. And I hate people feeling sorry for me, feeling pity for me. I think of my father, his proud eyes, head raised noble, is this what he sounded like when he relinquished control.

I thought back over her words. _Vejita._ She speaks to me as if father has already been dethroned, as if we are no longer royal. Does she truly have this little faith in father, in his ability, to defeat the Resistance? Or does she say this because he is just a puppet king, and then I a puppet prince?

So I raised my eyes to her, her sad, torturous eyes. And my heart clenched to look in them.

And I said the only thing left to say.

"You didn't call me Prince."

A/N: Yeah! Second chapter down! Please review, let me know what you think.


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